Oil Free Vegan Dressing

Now that you’ve dropped animal proteins and dairy from your lifestyle (not diet), it’s time for another big move. Eliminate processed oil. Canola, olive, avocado, safflower. Wait, what? Yes, drop processed oil from your food prep and recipes. From a culinarian point of view they are loaded with calories, and fat (actually they are 100% fat) with limited nutritional value. Eat olives and avocado rather than their extracted oil.

Whenever I use garlic as an ingredient in either a dressing or dip, I roast the cloves to soften the sometimes harsh flavors. While cooking may diminish some of the health benefits I find the final product much more palatable. I use a teaspoon of roasted garlic puree for every 2 cloves of whole garlic called for in a recipe.

Preheat oven to 300-325. Cut 1/4-1/3 inch off the flat, root end of a whole head of garlic.

Place head of garlic on a 6” square piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle 1 teaspoon of water on top and wrap the foil tightly around the garlic. The water will create steam to help soften the cloves.

Place packet on a sizzle platter, small pan, or cookie sheet and roast in oven for at least an hour. Check to see if cloves have softened. If not, wrap foil and place in oven for 15-20 minute intervals until cloves are soft and golden.

Cool completely and squeeze cloves from head. Store refrigerated until ready to use.

Tahini Dressing

yield: 1 1/2 cups

4 cloves roasted garlic

1/2 cup sesame tahini (may substitute hummus)

1/4 cup Braggs apple cider vinegar

Juice of one lemon

1/4-3/4 cup water, as needed for desired consistency

Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper

1/4 cup finely chopped Italian parsley

Using a blender or whisk, combine first 4 ingredients.

Add water 1/4 cup at a time to desired consistency.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add chopped parsley, combine well.

Creamy Avocado

yield: 2 cups

1 ripe avocado, pitted about 3/4-1 cup

4-6 cloves roasted garlic

Juice of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon Braggs apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/4-3/4 cup water, as needed for desired consistency

Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper

In a blender combine the first 5 ingredients and completely incorporated together.

Add water 1/4 cup at a time until desired consistency.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Vegan Tzatiki

yield: yield 2 cups

1 english cucumber, seeds removed, grated on large wholes of box grater

“It seems more common than not that there is a disconnect between the information the medical profession provides, and the realities of shopping, preparing, cooking, and actually enjoying a meal based on a whole-food, plant-based lifestyle. I will show others how to bridge that gap."